


Down The Hall to the Left

by AnabielVriskaMars



Category: Homestuck
Genre: AU, F/M, non-sburb AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-18
Updated: 2014-06-15
Packaged: 2018-01-25 13:10:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1649789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnabielVriskaMars/pseuds/AnabielVriskaMars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You remove the pillow from your head. </p><p>A dog is staring at you.</p><p>"Who the hell is he?"</p><p>"I'm pretty sure he's wondering the same thing."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

So,

That third drink wasn't the  _best_ idea you've had this year.

The floor's wobbling under your feet like... like a merry-go-round with... topsy-turvy...

Fuck it, you're not even gonna try.

You tried checking your phone for the time, but for some reason you can't work it out of your pocket.

But you're not drunk.

Not  _that_ drunk.

You crash against a bar stool.

Okay, yea, you're incredibly drunk.

Time to check out at Casa de Egderp.

You're not gonna go into detail as to how  _thankful_ you are that his house is close by. You couldn't drive home for all the apple-juice in America 

(DUI's are so  _not_  Strider and Bro would beat your ass in)

and even if you could, you're not sure you could find your keys right now. Your fingers are numb as fuck. Well kind of. There are pinpricks. Its almost like petting a hedgehog backwards.

You refuse to get into exactly  _how_ you are acquainted with that particular feeling concerning hedgehogs and only announce solemnly in your own head that Bro is a douchebag and that John's mischievous, dumbass pranking mind should never,  _ever_ be reacquainted with Bro's ready disposition and supernatural ability to get ahold of strange objects.

Anyways, Egbert's is nearby, and he won't mind if you crash, you tell yourself as you stumble down the three streets to his conveniently placed first-level apartment building. Come on, man, you have a  _key_  to his apartment, that's how tight a bros y'all are.

Whoops, the Texan's coming out of you.

You reach his door. Hell yea, bro. You can't believe how lucky you are that he moved so close. Its like he  _chose_ this fucking crib to be close to the HeadQuarters of all your DJ magic, aka, the wonderful bar with who's fine selection of scotch you were dallying.

You pat your pockets.

Fuck.

You forgot your key.

Sometimes you really wanna punch Past-Dave for being an asshole.

You run a hand through your hair and actually lift your shades a bi _t_ ( _holy mother of screaming fucks did Dave just remove his glasses? yes he did)_ because is that?

Fuck yea.

The kitchen window is open  _just a smidgen_.

Bless John and his carelessness. 

You wiggle in a pinky finger and manage to slide the window open enough to get your hand in. You have never been this thankful for having small bones ever in your life. With a bit of work, you manage find the latch, and only need like an inch or two more to undo it and open the door. You fish your set of key from your pocket and use them to jiggle out the lock--

Hold up.

..

...

...

You stare blankly at the keys in your hand.

Your name is Dave Strider and you might be even more drunk than you expected.

* * *

You're through the door after the key fiasco, and you are ever so glad nobody was around to see it. Drunk or not, that was much too lame to be associated with the name of Strider.

You stumble down the halls trying to make as little noise as possible, but obviously you fail miserably and stumble against the carpet but manage to catch yourself with some mad ninja skills yo. It seems you've retained some muscle memory from strifing.

Who the fuck cares. You're fucking tired and the world is spinning like its on a chippendales stripper's shirt being twirled in the air and  _by god_  why would you even summon that thought to your head?

You push the door to John's room open and manage to be as silent as drunkenly possible --which is to say not much-- but luckily he's a heavy sleeper. The jacket you were wearing has been shed and so has the shirt. Your pants are gone like an alcoholic in the wine section of the supermarket. Egbert doesn't even flinch. You use this to your advantage and crash like a fucking meteor in his bed right next to him because fuck no, you ain't even thinkin' about going to that back-wrecking couch. 

He shifts a bit when you land, but you can only see his black hair fanned out in the pillow and an unintelligible murmur about which you don't care.  Y

You drop your arm over your shades (you ain't takin' those off for nothin') and snooze like a motherfucking bear in math class.

* * *

 

There is something wet in your face.

Now there isn't.

There it is again.

Now its gone.

 _Wow_ there's a stink on your nose.

Though its not worse than the taste of hangover in your mouth.

You groan. The sound sets off fireworks of pain in your head. Your stomach feels like it was just tossed in a barrel over the fucking Niagara Falls. You bury your head under the pillow-- wait what?- oh right, you crashed over at John's --but why does his pillow smell so sweet? Did John Egbert do his laundry?

The wet feeling now runs over your throat.

Ok that was downright weird and  _no gusta_.

You throw the pillow form over your head across the room and sit up quickly.

There's a fucking dog staring at you. 

A dog.

He's not even panting with his tongue out and shit like a normal dog. No, this bastard's just fucking  _staring_ at you like you got something he lost. Fuck how can an animal be so fucking weird. Where the fuck did this dog even come from, 

_Egbert what the actual fuck._

_"_ Who in the name of flying fucks are you?" You ask the dog. Oh wow, there goes your head pounding like the woodpecker on the show driving his neighbor nuts over shits and giggled  _fuck that bastard_.

"I'm pretty sure he's wondering the same thing."

Oh

Shit.

That's not John's voice.

You look over to the voice  _right fucking next to you_.

Son of a bitch.

"Jade."

Your horror is such that you can't even intone any emotion in your voice. Its fucking void of sentiment because you don't even know what you're supposed to feel.

You're in your boxer briefs. In bed. Jade's next to you. From the way she holds the sheets--

 _what did you do last night_?

"Jade," you try to keep your cool, "are you fucking naked?"

She raises an eyebrow at you like its nothing that she's butt naked next to you only covered by sheets and you're trying  _really hard_ not to be turned on by this but its morning and you've always had a thing for her and Jesus smuppetfucking Christ what the actual fuck in this ridiculous universe is going on.

"I always sleep naked, Dave." She says. She doesn't look uncomfortable but still holds the sheet against herself. "Its hot here. John refuses to call someone to fix the AC."

You now realize that you're _still_ only in your boxers and if you don't manage to get your head out of the gutter this is going to get much worse. Jade just stares at you.

"Are you going to explain why you crashed into my bed half naked at four in the morning?" she asks.

You draw a blank. That's a first for you. Wow, the great Strider's got no answer. Call the record books and tell argentinean women to prepare their tear ducts because you have nothing to say.

It takes you a minute, and you're so glad that you have your shades because you can't stop yourself from stealing a glance from her (you're only human).

"I thought this was John's room." You manage pathetically, but at least manage to keep a stoic expression.

"Ah," she says. You're so embarrassed that you rise from the bed and grab your pants from the floor. "His room's the one in the other side of the hall."

"That makes sense," you say, "now that I've thoroughly embarrassed myself as much as its humanly possible, I think I'm gonna go for a shower before John finds me in bed with you and gets the wrong idea."

You bend over to pick up your blazer, and spare a glance in Jade's direction and--

\--wait.

Is it just you, or is she biting her lip?

Did she just give you a once over?

 _Is Jade checking you out_?

You don't even know what to say, but thankfully she spares you the need.

"Dave?" she calls. You turn slowly in her direction and give her the best angled view of this hot piece of Strider and you see her little eyes widen a bit and  _fucking hell she's totally checking you out._

"Yea?" you can't help a tug on the corner of your lip but suppress it as much as you can. You still hold your clothes, no longer in a hurry to get dressed. You ought to be charging for the show.

"Do you wanna get some breakfast?" she asks, and you can tell that she's trying not to blush but you can tell she is and you can tell that she's looking at you like you're a huge piece of man-candy.

And you're more than okay with that.

You allow yourself a half-smile.

"Sounds good," you say. Jade smiles fully.

You mentally vow that one day, you will be in exactly the same situation, but your stumbling into her room half naked won't be a mistake, and the morning won't be full of awkward. stolen glances, but of kisses and caresses.

Okay, so Drunk-Dave isn't such a shit after all.

 

 

 

 


	2. The Kitchen, You Dumbfuck

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was going to be a one-shot.  
> goddammit, i seem to have talked myself into multichaptering this.  
> i'm winging it, so i hope it turns out well
> 
> also, i gave myself the five-chapter limit so it doesn't get out of hand.
> 
> let me know what you think okay?

Okay yea

So you avoided a catastrophe.

Well, it  _seems_ like you did.

But it is not humanly possible that the stars aligned so perfectly for you. Nuh-huh. Not for Dave Strider.

There's no possible way that there's the  _slimmest_ chance of your getting it with Harley.

Like yeah, its a nice thought, but is it even a good idea? Y'all are too different. You're Dave Strider and she's... well, she's Harley. She's been your friend since you were twelve, and yeah, you've always had a crush on her, but is it really worth risking the friendship over so flimsy a chance? Like, what if you misread the  _entire_  situation and you have all this volcano of emotions ready to blow the fucking top off Mount Vesuvius to bury Pompeii under emotional crap so hard that it would give Freud a hard on.

You're just too different. She's the Hero of Space and Badass and you

Well, you're just the Dave of guy

There isn't even a capitalization for that title because its that fucking dumb. Seriously how dumb would it be for you to get together with Jade after drunkenly stumbling into her bed in the middle of the night by mistake?

And okay, you know this sounds absolutely fucking bananas, but hear yourself out. What if you two actually manage something, but it was her destiny to be with someone else all along? Like, what if she was meant to be with, you don't know, fucking Karkat. Like what if you have this incredibly shitty How I Met Your Mother sort of finale

(you are never ever ever  _ever_ going to get over how fucking disappointing that was)

and everything falls apart and its no longer Strider and Harley, just nods in the distance? and then it becomes awkward because it's John's sister and--

Woah

yeah.

That's a point you should probably arrive at.

Its definitely not a good idea to fantasize about your best Bro's sister.

You sigh and rub your eyes under your shades. Its probably time to take them off, you think, you're in front of the bathroom mirror.

Your clothes are in a little pile over the sink and your head is banging like Steven Tyler after an Aerosmith concert.

It would be so much easier if Jade was just some girl from the bar

but then again, she probably wouldn't have you wrapped around her little finger if she did. Her delicate, beautiful little finger, with which she probably can do amazing things--

No. Bad Strider. No wet-dreams about the hostess. Cold water. Now.

You turn on the sink--

And ruin your clothes.

 

You are such a fucking moron, you know that?

 

* * *

 

"What happened?" are the first words that come out of her mouth. Its endearing, really, how she's concerned. You're an idiot and you're embarrassed, but you figure you can play this off.

"I sparred with the faucet." Wow. That's lame bro. Step your game up. For real.

"What?" her eyebrows furrow. She doesn't understand. You can't blame her. You just said something really fucking stupid. Oh god you hate hangovers.

"I had a little incident," you explain, "lets not talk about this."

"Well, do you want something of John's?"

"Would I be caught dead with one of Egderp's lame unironic shirts? Probably not, or my ghost would come back from his throne in hell and beat my cadaverous ass in. No, but thanks for playing."

Sometimes you can be a real asshole, you know that? Thankfully, Jade doesn't seem to be very bothered with your answer and goes to the laundry room to fetch a shirt. She brings it back and puts it in your hands.

"I think this is 'cool' enough for the great Strider to 'pimp' off," and you know she's mocking your lingo but she looks so fucking cute doing it, you ain't even mad. You inspect the shirt. Its just a simple red button up.

Yeah, you guess you can pull this off whilst doing your walk of shame.

"Thanks," you say. You know you're not supposed to, but the attention Jade paid you this morning is too much and it makes you crave for more like its cocaine and you're a washed-out blonde child star that will remind everyone that they were in that one obscure film that they probably don't remember.

So you pull your shirt over your head right there.

You can see Jade try to pretend not to notice but she's  _totally_ noticing and her eyes are glued to you and damn this is making you nervous red alert you didn't think this through. Your hands are on the buttons immediately clasping them quickly and watching the shirt be too freaking big for you.

Fuck Egbert and his uncanny fitness. Its not your fault you're lean.

You're done and Jade is pointedly studying the toaster. You see a little bit of a blush creeping in from the side of her face.

_Should you really do this?_

You don't realize that you've been staring at her for a few seconds, but she seems to be staring at you and motioning at your shirt and you really don't get it but then she's still kind of uncomfortable and motions at the buttons.

You did them wrong.

What the fuck is the matter with you today, Strider?

She steps forward.

"Here, let me," she says, and kind of licks her lips a little. "I-if not, we'll never leave for breakfast."

So she's standing in the kitchen undoing the buttons of your shirt, red as a beet, and here you are, looking like a dumbstruck teenager watching her hands which are shaking--

and in comes John.

His eyebrow is raised halfway to his hairline.

"Uhm, what's up, guys?"

* * *

 

So, John was pretty chill about the buttoning incident in his kitchen. You're not sure you would've been. If you walked in on your sister removing your best bro's shirt (that's what it seemed like, at least) you would've at least flipped  _some_ tables. You don't have this problem with Rose though, because she and Kanaya behave like grown-ups.

You three plus Rose and Kanaya went out for breakfast. Rose was even nice --or horrible, depends on how you see it-- to call Roxy and Dirk to join you.

This really isn't what you had in mind when Jade asked you to go for breakfast, but you see everyone around you laughing, Roxy thinking nobody sees her slip something in her own drink --though Dirk totally sees her and changes her drink without  _her_ noticing- John spicing Rose's food while she and Kanaya actively discuss Dirk's latent homosexuality (you don't get it, the only  _latent_ thing about Dirk's homosexuality is his dick for Jake, boom. High five, Strider). And you wonder if its worth risking all of this for what could be just a passing fancy. 

The problem is that you happen to glance at her and your heart skips a beat. And the places of your chest that her fingers grazed when doing your shirt are still burning.

You seem to be a lot deeper in than you thought, and this idea is dumber than John  _actually_ getting together with Roxy.

* * *

 

"Ah shit." You say. You're an idiot.

"What's up?" Dirk asks. You're all walking to the parking lot.  John's talking with Roxy, and Rose and Kanaya are... gone?

"I left my car at the bar last night, I was too fucked up to drive back home."

Dirk raises an eyebrow. Jade is intent on not looking like she's totally eavesdropping.

"I crashed at John's last night. I need to go get my car."

"Hold on," John finally pries his stupid head from his dork conversation with your cousin at the worst possible moment, "I didn't see you this morning."

Ah.

Shit.

Fuck.

"'Cause he crashed in my room." Jade says simply. She smiles and shrugs like its no big deal, which to be completely honest kind of deflates you a bit.

" _Your_ room?" John demands. He's shocked  rather than angry. From behind him, Roxy gives you a thumbs up. Dirk's eyebrow can't go any higher. _  
_

"The couch is a mess and you haven't changed it. I wasn't going to make him sleep there. Its inhumane." She says. She turns on her heel and tilts her head at you. "Come on, I'll give you a ride."

John mumbles something and you hear Roxy exclaim "John is totes taking me computer shopping. See you dweebs later." And you can just picture Roxy dragging him away. You turn your head, and Roxy's halfway down the street dragging John by the hand. Dirk sighs and mumbles something about finishing work. 

So this leaves you two.

"Come on," she says, "let's go."

It now strikes you that Jade is a horrible driver and that this will probably kill you.

But you could think of worse ways to die.

* * *

"Its here." You say as Jade pulls in to the driveway. 

"Huh," she mutters, "so  _this_ is where the magic happens."

"Yeah, I guess."

"You know, I've never heard you play." she says and you can totally see where this is going and  _oh please no_.

"Is that so?" You try to dissuade her from deciding to come, but you can feel that its gonna be futile. "This place kind of sucks, I'll show you one day at my place."

She smiles. You love the buck-teeth. 

"No, I wanna see you in action. In front of everyone." she announces. "I want to watch the great Strider sweep the damsels off their feet."

Ah shit.

"I don't think you're going to like it."

But she isn't listening. She's beaming.

"I'll see you tonight!"

God fucking dammit. You really wish you had slept in your car last night.

 

 


	3. Three Streets and Two Buildings to the Right

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm having an anxious episode because of studying so here's the next chapter to soothe me a bit

It's not going so bad, you think.

The party's blowing at full capacity. Jade isn't here. Maybe something came up. Maybe she was joking. Maybe she--

No, wait, there she--

Damn.

You--

Uh.

You need a moment.

You need a moment to collect yourself.

She--

Damn.

Shit.

Fuck.

Lil' Cal on a fucking horse, she looks fantastic.

You have a hard time coming up with a good metap--

When the universe was created, something exploded. That something created this bunch of empty space and all the light that can be mustered will never ever  _ever_ fill the void in the universe. There are billions of stars that are trying their hardest to shed the  _tiniest_ hint of a light in it, and they look like nothing more than fireflies that got stuck in the sky of the Earth, and they do nothing and they change nothing. They come and they burn and they leave, but they never create enough light to show you anything because they're so small by themselves.

Well, seeing Jade walk in was like watching the moon appear in the middle of the sky.

She walked in looking as out of place as the drawing of a sun in the middle of a math notebook.

She's wearing that black dress with green hems that glitters all over. It looks so natural on her. Its like she's made of space and that the stars are there just to adorn her.

This is so stupid. You know it is.

You've loved her since you met her. No, you're not being an asshole. You've love her like a 12 year old boy loves a 12 year old girl, and that was enough. It has been a love that does not need to discriminate romance and friendship and fraternity. It's a love that simply fills you, every single bit of you until you're overflowing. You've loved John and Rose the same way.

But somewhere along the line, this love became like a snowball that began swallowing other parts of you. It began swallowing your thoughts and your desires. 

Its been ten years, and you think its about high time that you accept it here, amongst dozens of drunkards, while DJing in a party you don't truly care about, that you really, truly, and from the bottom of your heart, love her.

Accepting it brings you a sense of calm.

You've stopped fighting it, and now you realize how stupid it has been to deny it. It feels as if the rapids you have been trying to swim have stilled, and you can now see the bottom crystal clear. The love that has always filled you has taken a hold of another port in your heart, and it has simply become more.

Your name is Dave Strider, and you've got it bad.

* * *

"Dave!" She comes closer to you. Its great that you're on a break. There's a playlist replacing you at the moment. 

"'Sup." Just because you figured it out doesn't mean she has to.

"You look great!" She says. You're literally wearing the shirt of John's that she gave you.

"Of course I do." You shrug. "Its not the music that gets me tips, you know."

She giggles and you can barely hear it over the thumping bass of the Titanium Remix you've left. "Come on, let's go get something to drink!" She grabs you by the sleeve and pulls you to the bar. Sollux is on the other side. 

Shit.

"Ztrider." He greets with that weird lisp of his. Jade smiles at him (only because she doesn't know him). He raises an eyebrow at her. "Who'z thiz? Latezt victim?"

Jegus mother of screaming fuck why does this guy have to be such a fucking asshole it is so far up in the atmosphere above your head that it's going to give you a nosebleed to try and even think about it.

"Victim?" Jade asks. She sounds amused. It kind of burns. She turns and looks at you, and it might be wishful thinking, but you think there's the slightest hesitation in her movements, as if she's trying to be deliberately careless. "Ooh, is Mr. Hotshot here so lucky with the ladies?"

You mentally will  _really hard_ that Sollux will have something,  _anything_ , more important to do than have this conversation, but of course he doesn't.

"Thiz azzhole'z the douchiezt EZ-TD incubator I've ever had the disgrace to meet."

"That's only cause your mother abandoned you since birth when she felt how much of a dissapointing dick you'd turn out to be." You reply.  Sollux flips you off. Jade drums her fingers in the bar like a little girl.

"Could you leave this for later? I'd really like a cosmo." She beams.

"Would you like a crazy ztraw with that?" Seriously you wonder how HQ could hire someone with such a personality at a bar.

"Your absolute staggering lack of charisma puts a beehive to shame. Give the girl her frilly, flamingly gay drink." You're glad he does this without further commentary, and you throw in the order of a scotch on the rocks for yourself. He flips you off and gets you nothing, so you just swipe the quarter of a bottle of vodka that's left behind the counter. He starts cursing at you. "Put it on my tab, you bipedal twat."

You both take a small table in the VIP section (you've got your little privileges) and nurse your drinks. You don't even get a buzz going, but are just at the edge of one. Its about time you go back to work. You tell Jade so.

"Yes! I finally get to see you in action!" She grins at you, and you've drunk just enough to almost return her smile, but only because its her.

"I've only got a while to go and I'll be back. Prepare your mind to be thoroughly blown across the cosmos and around a fucking black hole and back into your head."

"Well, as long as it comes back to my head!" She says and laughs.

You settle back in front of your turntables and begin working your magic.

Music is your thing. You really can feel the vibrations come from under your fingers and come into you. You feel the serenity of a good bass, and your blood sings to a guitar solo. You swear that you almost melt and become one with the records you're playing. Your fingers are experts in every ridge of their surface, and every throb of music is in time with your heartbeat.

And you know the music so well that you're almost a medium between them and the people dancing to it. They don't understand it, so you have to be the bridge.

And the best part of being the bridge? You know what to play, and for whom.

You pick the next set specifically for Jade.

Its not a group of love songs because you're not a sixteen year old lovestruck bitch that remembers their crush with every song.

You pick them carefully. There's always a prominent bass in them, because you feel it calm you, the same way she does. Its like the weight of a wave covering you, and you're floating underwater with no dear of drowning. You're encased in the weight of a water than does not allow you to feel alone, and that feels  _safe_. You mingle this song with a good guitar; something that gives you edge, because this is what you are. You are edge, and risk and something always in the verge of happening, and the soothe of the bass is always the net under the ledge that directs the crazy guitar solo and steers it back into direction.

This is how you voice your feelings, and you're overwhelmed by how real they are, and how cold they feel against you.

* * *

 

You're almost done. Two or three more songs and you're free to hang out with Jade.

From your privileged position, you search over the crowds for her. You spot her in the table where you left her, and your heart swells with the image of doing what you love for who you love, except--

Oh fuck.

There's two assholes talking to her.

You can't see much because of your shades, but you're 98% sure they're bothering her.

Fuck, this is what pisses you off about this place.

You don't think about it twice. You leave a mini-playlist playing and head over to where she is, ready to get into a fight, which you'll probably lose cause, be honest, you're a skinny little shit with no real  self defense experience, but you'll cross that bridge when you get there.

You're about 10 feet away but you see Jade's displeased face, and it bothers you. You haven't even heard what they're saying, but you can imagine. You're about to step in, when you see that you don't need to.

Jade smiles sweetly and throws the drink at one of these guys' faces, followed by a slap. The imbecile pulls his hands to his face, and you hear the cries of "you bitch!". The other guy gets over his surprise and reaches out to grab Jade, but she steps back and boxes him in the ear and kicks him in the stomach. He bends over and falls to his knees. Cries of surprise surround you, and holy crap, you think you're going to burst with pride for Jade.

"You shouldn't mess with ladies." You say cooly. Jade look satisfied and turns to you, beaming. The first guy stands up and you see him starts for Jade, but you've worked at this bar for a while, and you called for the guards with the pocket alarm issues to every employee, so before Jade has to humiliate this clown any further, security turns up.

"What seems to be the problem?" You hear this clearly. The playlist is over and there's no music.

Whoops.

"This crazy ass bitch just fucking attacked us!" the first guy says.

What this asshole doesn't know is that you get along pretty well with Equius.

"David, did you witness this?" he asks you. The asshole looks at you, expectantly, as if some sort of boy's code binds you to defend him.

"Nah, these assholes where messing with my friend over there and she just gave them what was coming." You shrug. The guy looks at you, astonished, and Equius just stands the other one up and drags them both away, expelled from the club.

"Dave--" Jade says. 

"Shit, sorry about that, I should've warned you how this place gets when assholes get their hands over a few drinks. Damn Jade, I'm really sorry. I really hope this didn't ruin your nig--"

"Dave," she interrupts, "I think you need to go back to work."

Oh.

Right.

* * *

 

You're walking her to her house. She's laughing and telling you the story of those two assholes.

"And then the tall one was trying to tell me  _how many points I had,"_ she says and giggles like its the stupidest thing she's ever heard, though in all fairness, it probably is.

You take the bottle of vodka out of your blazer pocket and take a swig. Jade stares at you in mock astonishment. "Mr. Strider! This is hardly appropriate!" she giggles.

"Fine," you say, and your lips are tingling enough to allow a tiny smile, and only for her. "Then you won't have any."

She laughs and reaches for your hand, but you pull the bottle away. "I didn't say that!" she giggles.

The walk should've lasted only 5 minutes, but you somehow manage to make it last an hour. You're drinking and laughing, and she dances on a light post-

( _I'm siiiiinging in the rain! -- Come on, you can't tell me John didn't make_ you _watch that!)_

You're drunk more on laughter than you are on liquor, as if the oxygen of all the laughter has gone into your heads and created some sort of high. You like this feeling.

You don't like the feeling of getting to her house. The light of the building shines on her face, and you see her smile falter as well before she turns to you to say goodbye.

"Well Dave, its been real. It was awesome watching you work! We should do this more often!"

"You know where I work, so whenever you decide to grace me by bestowing your company--"

She giggles. You can't get tired of that sound.

You're at the door. She has her back to it, so the light above it is behind her, and you see her outlined with light, as if she were shining.

"Anyways, thanks for walking me." 

"Of course, you needed my protection. Especially with the way  _I_ dealt with those assholes." You joke.

"Yes, my knight in shining armor," she laughs. It dies down in her lips. 

"Anyways," you try to cut the awkwardness with a rusty sword. "Goodni--"

You can't register what's happening for a second because your lips are a bit numb from the leftover vodka you both killed, but you can feel the hand on your cheek, and the breath in your mouth as she pulls away.

Even with the poor lighting, you know she's blushing, and not because of the alcohol.

"Crap," she says and tries to step away and turn her back, "Dave, I'm sorry, I drank too mu--"

You don't let her get an inch farther. You grab her wrist and pull her to you. She crashes against your chest ( _she's so soft)_ and you kiss her fiercely.

She's surprised for a second but she responds.

You cannot register any emotion at the moment.

Your lips are soft on hers, and her cheeks radiate heat that you feel on your whole face. Her glasses touch the rim of your shades, and her hand rests in your cheek, and she's so  _delicate_.

You're not, though. You pull her even closer to you and both your hands are on the sides of her face and treading into her hair. Your fingers are splayed to touch as much of her as you possibly can because you want every centimetre of you to feel her under your skin because you can't believe it.

You hold her like she's made of water and any leak, any place where your skin isn't touching her is going to let her get away and you can't let that happen.

She's pulled back from you, but only barely. Her forehead rests against yours and her breath dances over your lips and holy shit you  _just-_ You're afraid of opening your eyes and finding regret in hers.

When you finally do, you don't find regret, only embarrassment. You wonder if she can read hunger in your eyes, but remember you're wearing shades, and are equal parts grateful and sorry for it.

"Looks like we drank more than we ought've." She says and smiles feebly.

Once again, Jade Harley has left you at a loss of words.

She rubs her eyes under her glasses, and there's an emotion in her face that you can't quite understand.

"Good night, Dave." She says and goes into the apartment.

 

You didn't think it was humanly possible for a person to build you and destroy you so perfectly with such mastery.

You hear the voice of Bro in your head.

_You really screwed up this time, lil bro._

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah yes, I'm a piece of shit and have digressed horribly from Dave's usual monologue, but i want to believe that he's equally delicate and masterful with words when he's smitten.
> 
> is this too cliche? i hope not.


	4. Through The Door And To The Floor

By the time you get home you really have no idea of what to think.

Your brainmatter has been scattered thoroughly all over earth and not even the Dragon Balls could manage to assemble their jumbled mess back up again.

Yes, that was a Dragon Ball reference, you can go right off and fuck your own self if you have a problem with it.

This situation with Jade has really, truly destroyed every conception you ever had of a remote philosophical understanding that some douchebag with dreadlocks playing wonderwall and smelling like weed in the godforsaken basement of his mother abandoned by a husband who was dallying about with a 20 year old from the office in a mini-skirt.

First you were happy-- no, not happy, more like  _content_ \--to find that she could look at you the way she did when you were 75% naked. You've gotta be honest, you've got the  _goods_ and you've got them right down to a swirling, caramel covered G. It felt more uplifting than having any other girl rip your clothes off. Even if it was completely superficial, you loved watching Jade looking at  _you_  like that.

But that second you caught her looking was all it took to burst a dam that was holding shit-infested waters crawling with goddamn butterflies that are flying through you like an asshole from an 80's chickflick. That second broke the dam apart and now all you can see are images of you and her being together and happy and laughing and thoughtless and goddamn  _cute jegus christ David you're such a fucking idiot._

And you thought you had it under control, but then the buttoning up of that shirt just gave you a flash of a white-fence-hello-honey-poo-how-was-your-day-great-snookums-whats-for-dinner kind of life that you've never wanted but can't help but think that with _h_ _er_ it might not really be so bad. And then you played music for her. You know it was supposed to be for your job, but it was for  _her,_ you wanted to tell her everything you haven't been able to, because you'd just realized how much you wanted everything with her. 

You felt how thoroughly she was the missing part of you. The complement to your song. The bass to your guitar.

And then there was that kiss.

It was the unfulfilled promise of redemption by the love of a woman that is more than the entire world deserves, let alone you.

For that moment, the world was warmer than any summer in Texas. When she pulled away you knew what it was like to have your breath ripped from your lungs.

You close the door to the apartment and slide down to the floor and pretty much wallow in your own misery for as long as you possibly can.

"Dave?"

Which is not long, because Kanaya's here.

"The asshole you've requested is not in service. Please try your shit elsewhere." You mumble.

"That's a rather unpleasant imagery you've described." She replies. You expect the tapping of her feet walking away, but she obviously does not understand a clear dismissal. "I believe the right saying used in this circumstance would be 'a pound for your thoughts'?"

"That's penny for your thoughts." You remark. Shit. You fell for it. You raise your eyes and see her smile, satisfied. "Shouldn't you be hanging out with Rose or something?"

"Just because I am in a relationship with Rose does not mean that I must spend every moment with her, or that I cannot be of assistance to you too," you've always been a bit creeped out by the way she speaks so politely.

Seriously who the fuck talks like that?

"Dave," she presses, "you are not in any obligation of disclosing anything you do not want to, but I do wish we could reach a mutually beneficial friendship, if only for Rose's sake."

"Its a nice thought, Kanaya, do you want me to bring breadcrumbs so you can feed the birds that are dancing over your shoulder and the animals cleaning the house behind you? Make sure they don't shit in the carpet. It was Bro's favorite."

"Though I understand your disregard for my assistance, I must inform you that it is common to misdirect a helping hand with sarcasm, and adding your late brother to the joke only serves to make the aide uncomfortable and keep them at an emotional distance."

"Cool. did you learn that in bird school? Which is for birds?" Oh god you did not just make that dumbass joke.

Fuck Dave, you've really fallen low.

Kanaya just stands there because she knows you're growing desperate out of your own mind.

"I just have new found feelings, okay?" You blurt hastily. You do not know what possesses you to confide in her, but at this point is it really important?

"Ah, so you've finally come to terms with your romantic feelings for Jade, have you?" She asks. You try not to look shocked.

"Ah yes, of course you know. I suppose you and Rose sit over a good cup of tea psychoanalyzing and picking apart my brainparts for the latent homoerotic tendencies and hidden daddy issues."

"We do not 'pick apart your brainparts.' It is unnecessary. Your feelings have been quite obvious for some time." She explains and sits on the floor in front of you. "Also, your daddy issues are anything but hidden."

You decide not to bite. You grumble instead.

"I do not see the problem in your feelings for her. Have you not been friends for a long time?" She asks.

"Yeah, that's the problem." You reply. You're done avoiding this conversation. You let the words pour out of your mouth like an open faucet. "What if I screw this up? Its too important. Can't risk her friendship over that."

"Have you considered her feelings?" Kanaya asks.

Ah.

No, you have not.

"No, I have not." You admit. "So maybe I'm just fussing over this when she doesn't even feel the same way."

"That is not what I meant to say, Dave, and you know this." Damn, really, who talks like this? "I do not mean to say that I am acquainted with Jade's feelings about this situation, but there are two possible outcomes: she either feels the same way as you do, or she does not. If she does not, then all is well and there is nothing to worry about, you must simply cease your affection."

You run a hand over your face. "That's not how it works." You mumble. She ignores you.

"If she _does_ feel the same way, then it is only fair to be taken into account her opinion on this matter as well." Kanaya says. "I do not believe she would have kissed you had not some part of her at least shared at least some small consideration towards you in a romantic light."

"How in the name of Buddha's skid-marked underwear could you possibly know that she kissed me." Its not even a question at this point. Its more of a tired demand.

She smiles like you've seldom if ever seen Kanaya do. She gestures towards her lips. "There's a bit of a smudge on your lips."

Instinctively you touch your lips and you can still feel hers burning against your skin and feeling like scalding water against you and never wanting to let go. You check your hand and drop it to your side. Kanaya's smile falls off in the same way.

"You seem to be very involved with these feelings." She says quietly.

"Its the equivalent of standing in the middle of a stinking fiery pit that's being fed with John's sweaty socks whilst burning the life out of me."

"Is it that terrible?" She asks.

You take a deep breath. "Could you believe that it that good?"

Kanaya's face softens. "Yes." She says.

It strikes you for the first time how happy she and Rose make each other. You wonder what you could do should you attain such levels of joy and hold them in your hands. You figure you would probably drop them, because that's just kind of the douche you are. You'd drop your happiness and Jade's, and you really don't think that's something you would ever forgive yourself for doing.

Kanaya stands from the floor and shakes the dust off her skirt.

"I hope I have helped put things a little in perspective, Dave." She says and heads towards the kitchen. "For what its worth, I  _do_ know that you would make several mistakes in your life, and many of them will hurt the people you love, especially Jade, but I do not think that loving so purely can ever be a mistake." As if reading your thoughts, she adds, "Not even if she's loved by you."

You want to reply with a witticism, but it escapes you. "Thank you," is what you say. "You're a good friend."

She turns away, but you like to think that she's smiling as she walks.

 

You feel only a tiny bit better, but everything still sucks.

* * *

 

There's something wet on your face.

You know this feeling.

God fucking damn it what the fuck is it this time?

You open your eyes and find that you have what feels like a fucking golem residing on your neck and a beast watching you.

One thought at a time.

Shiva's tempestuous mood swings, your neck  _really fucking hurts_. _  
_

And why the fuck wouldn't it? You fell asleep right were you were with your head hanging like a douchebag. Your shades fell to your lap and you reposition them, moving as gingerly as you can because holy fuck your neck hurts.

You try moving it slowly a couple of times. It gets less insufferable as you do it, but it still hurts.

Now moving on: there's a fucking spawn of Cerberus's lovechild with some sort of St Bernard, because sweet members of the democratic parliament, this fucking thing is huge.

And you recognize those beady little eyes of evil.

"Aren't you Jade's mutt?"

It stares at you.

You're glad its not answering.

You don't think your brain could process one more thing going apeshit around you.

Which begs the question as to how Jade's ungodly mutt managed to break into your 10th floor apartment when you were sleeping against the only viable means of entrance.

You decide not to think about it because this is just too fucking retarded for your taste, and it seems like the entire world is conspiring to make you think about her.

Which is also why your fucking phone is ringing and its nobody else but her.

Because the world really really fucking hates you.

You have lost control of your life and it makes no difference, so you answer with the calmness of someone who really is done with everything.

"Dave, Beq es--" You cut her off.

"Your beast is here."

"He is?" The relief in her voice wakes up your shittily surrounded butterflies because the river is still flowing out that dam. "Oh thank god! I woke up and he was gone! I called Jane and Dirk and they hadn't seen him!"

"Yeah, but what made you call me?" you ask.

Silence.

This seems to be the first sensible question you've made since the beginning of time.

"I don't know." She replies quietly, taken aback by your bluntness. "I just figured you could help."

"I mean yeah, sure I could," you blurt. For some reason your conversation with Kanaya rings through your head, and words are piling up behind your lips to be said with no regard as to their being prudent or not. "But after last night I figure you'd be avoiding me like the plague." You almost feel like a third person watching this conversation. "And I don't have a special skill to have helped you find this thing. It was literally luck dumber than Egbert that brought him here. I don't even think there is a physical explanation as to how he got here in the first place."

"Dave..." She begins. You don't let her get a word in because you're always expecting the worst poisons to come from her lips with the best intentions.

"Yes, Jade, I know what you're thinking. You were so worried about your dog that you didn't even think about how we did the motherfucking tongue tango in front of your brother-occupied house after just a couple of drinks. Its alright though, the mutt's here, so you can safely retrieve him and ignore me until the awkwardness you probably assume will build up tears itself down, which could be soon or never, though we probably won't find out because we seem to be ready to behave like angsty teenagers too scared to communicate instead of the couple of responsible (that's you) and useless (that's me) adults we are."

"Dave!" Her voice is sharp. You feel an extracorporeal sentiment and think of yourself as another person, and can't help but notice how much of an asshole you are. Jade's voice is quiet. "I'll be over in ten minutes to pick Beq up."

The line goes dead.

Ah.

Well

Fuck.


	5. Under the Nose, Dimshit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the dreaded ending lololololol
> 
> I think I might do a bonus chapter after this one. it all depends on how i like the resolution.

Your shit's pretty wrecked. You know that.

You're standing in your kitchen, awkwardly offering Jade something to drink.

And man, you wish you could read minds, 'cus the face she's got on now is an inscrutable as an >8 000 page webcomic featuring four kids and a videogame.

Wait, what kind of analogy was that?

Shit.

Focus Strider, bring on your A game.

She takes a deep breath and you know that this can only go downhill.

"Thanks for watching after Bec."

Okay, you were not expecting _that_.

"No problem." You reply and bury your hands in your pockets because you have no idea of what to do with them. "He kind of just showed up in my hall. I don't really know how he did that, considering that its ten floors, no balcony, and no other way out than the front door which I happened to fall asleep last night like a douchebag, which reminds me of this horrible neckache I've got--"

"You fell asleep at the door?" You can see her trying to recall those words to her mouth, but too late. They're out and she regrets them, and you cannot fathom why.

"Yeah," you reply carefully, "I got in last night and-"

"You were that drunk, huh," she mutters. What?

"Not really," you shrug. At the risk of being _too_ open, you say "I had some shit to figure out and sat with Kanaya for a while, and then I was too introspective to go to my room."

You're waiting for the lid to blow. It should be any minute now, after what you said on the phone...

"Well," she says decisively, and you really hope she's up to get the elephant out of the room, "Bec always manages to do that kind of thing, I don't really know how, its just something that he's always been able to--"

"Jade." The way you speak her name takes the breath out of you. It takes a lungful of air to do justice to her name. You're not even sure what's about to come out of your mouth, but its like her name unlocked a door deep inside you, full of thoughts and words and emotions mingled into a disgusting soup of left-overs that they wouldn't even have at a Soup Kitchen. "What's going on." You don't even ask. Its just words floating out of your mouth without intonation and barely any order.

She looks away and fixes her gaze on the edge of the table she's sitting in, fingering the place-mat. "Nothing," comes the mumble.

You take a seat in front of her, and, desperate as you are, manage not to show it. "Jade," you call again.

This time she does look at you, and you see in her eyes resistance, nervousness and apprehension. She doesn't seem likely to talk, so you again take the initiative. 

"About what I said on the phone," you speak low and scratch the back of your head. You really,  _truly_ don't know where you're going with this. You were telling the truth when you spoke, there's no use denying it, so what should you say? "I didn't mean to be so blunt."

"How did you know I was going to avoid you?" She asks. You're glad for the dialogue.

"The look you gave me before you went back home." You try to keep the bitterness out of your voice, "its the 'I-really-fucked-up-and-would-appreciate-if-we-pretended-this-never-happened' look. I've seen it before. Its why I was surprised to hear from you so soon, I just thought--"

"I was really embarrassed, okay?" she spits out. You can't help it, you raise both eyebrows at her. You've never known her to be much for embarrassment.

"Embarrassed about what, Jade?" Her name tastes so sweet on your tongue that you're determined to say it as much as you can.

"I kissed you!" Its like a cap inside her has been blown. The words gush out of her mouth. "I shouldn't have, I just had a couple of drinks and I started seeing things that weren't there, and when we were walking home I just  _really_ thought I just saw you smile, and I started picking up prompts and I thought 'yea okay, now or never' but when I did it was like shit, what am I even doing? and I pulled back, and I was so embarrassed cause I really made a fool of myself--"

"Slow down," you say soothingly. You cannot help it, your heart flutters like a little girl's on first seeing a pink pony for her. It starts in a dangerous direction that could lead to the sickest disappointment you could ever feel, so you keep a close rein on your thoughts and do not let them stray far. "What makes you say you've made a fool of yourself?"

"Jesus Christ Dave!" She's exalted and stands from the table pushing her chair back. She paces around the kitchen. "I really fooled myself into thinking that it was appropriate to kiss you. How dumb can I be?"

Another, less pleasant possibility than the one you'd been ~~hoping for~~ contemplated shows its head. What if she truly felt horrified at what transpired?

"Why does that make you dumb, Jade? 'Cus you're really losing me here. I don't get it." Now you stand. You try to control your emotions, but for the first time find that its too challenging for you, and part of you doesn't want to rein anything in. "Are you  _that_ disgusted with the idea of me? 'Cus if that's the case just let me know and I'll be out of your hair." You cannot keep the bitterness out of your voice.

"I'm not disgusted, I just--"

"You just what, Jade?" You demand. The tables have turned, and now she's the one who tries to be soothing while you're blowing the fuse.

"Because I thought that if I did, I'd dispel all my doubts about you." She finishes quietly.

"What doubts?" You're still talking loudly.

"The other day you came into my room  _half-naked_ _at four in the morning_ ," her voice rises again.

"I was  _hammered_ ," you spit, "and I  _apologized!"_

"I didn't  _want_ an apology, Dave."

"Then what?" you hardly think anybody outside of Rose has ever seen you so agitated. "What did you want from me? I was embarrassed too, you know, so what was  _so absolutely terrible_ about that incident?"

"That I haven't been able to get you out of my head!" your heart stops for at least three beats. She keeps yelling. "Ever since I was freaking twelve I've had the dumbest crush on you. Ugh, I used to think you were so freaking cool!" Her voice wavers, "you were always so kind to me, even when everyone else had something to say about my teeth, or my glasses, you would always come around and say  _anything_ and it would make it better. Did you know I kept these glasses because  _once_ you let it drop that you liked them?

"And then you come up to my house, its 4 AM and you sneak into my bed almost naked and I just couldn't help but thinking 'wow, what if this could really happen?'

"Then we went to the bar and I had such a great time! And Sollux tells me about all your  _victims_ and wow, that stung. But I figured hey, what can I expect from you? Its what you've always done. So I resolve to give it all up, but no, I had to go on and get drunk and let it get the better of me, and I kissed you and I just screwed everything up! How  _was_ I supposed to face you when I'd made an utter fool of myself?"

At this point you honestly want to remove your shades and smack your palm to your face. Another part of you wants to laugh. Another part of you wants to punch Sollux onto next year. Another part of you wants to hug Jade. But most of all, you just really wish you had a drink right now. Does that make you an alcoholic? Probably.

"Jade," you say rather quietly. "Did you miss the part of the night in which I kissed you back? Or did I imagine it?"

Jade chokes something between a huff of indignation and an incredulous laugh. "Yes, a drunk response, I noticed."

You feel like theres a bubble of light expanding in your chest, but its enclosed within doubt. You really cannot believe this might actually go your way. You rub your eyes under your shades and speak in a low voice. Jade is several steps away with her arms crossed.

"Jade," you love saying her name. "I wasn't drunk. Last night." You clarify. She looks at you with hesitation and doubt from under her dark, beautiful lashes. "I kissed you because I'd been wanting to do that for the last five years." You inform her matter-of-factly. "I kissed you because all of the self possession I had went out the window the second you kissed me, and I was so angry to have missed it that I went for it."

She gauges your words. Her eyes widen and her arms drop to her sides. You can still feel the reserve glowing from her.

You take a deep breath and your heart feels as if its about to burst from your chest. 

"Let me make this as abundantly clear as the english language permits me to be."

And you don't even know how it happens, but the distance between you and her is no more, and your left arm is curled around her back pulling her as close as its physically possible, while your right hand is resting so delicately upon her cheek, and you're kissing her with a delicacy you would have never thought yourself capable of demonstrating.

It takes her a second, and you fear rejection, but it does not come. Both her hands lodge themselves comfortably on your shoulders, and her right hand rests politely on your neck with its fingers splayed out and its  _perfect_.

You pull away, but only an inch. 

"Is that clear enough?"

And her smile is so bright that it stops your heart for the third time today.

Bec sits by the door, looking satisfied.

* * *

 

"So let me get this straight," John says, shifting his gaze between you and Jade. "You two are  _dating_."

"Yes." Jade replies.

" _Dating_ dating." He presses.

"No John, mostly we go hunting for Bambi's mother in the woods, but for a little variation we also enjoy rolling in apple sauce." You contend. Jade elbows you in the ribs.

"Yes," she says again, squeezing your hand, "dating dating."

"Huh," John's face betrays nothing. You try not to betray your own nervousness at his reaction. "Okay."

You and Jade exchange a glance.

"Okay? Really? That's it?" You ask, "I mean, I'm definitely not complaining, but I hardly thought you'd green light us so quickly."

John shrugs. "If I tell you not to its just gonna make you both unhappy." He sounds reasonable. You don't like it. "Besides, I can think of worse people to date my little sister than Dave, and viceversa."

"Wow John, that's really--" Jade starts but you cut her off.

"What's the catch?" You ask. John tries to hide his guilty look, but he does a shitty job.

"Well," he says, smiling nervously, "I was trying to see how to tell you that I'm kind of... dating... Roxy?"

You and Jade stare him down quietly. You're the first to break the silence.

"...Rox has terrible taste."

 

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

 

Its been three weeks since you and Jade began dating.

Everything in your life is perfect.

Okay, no it isn't, but it doesn't even matter.

Jade came with you tonight to work. She's up there with you in the DJ stand, and you're showing her how you mix things up. She tries her hand, but its pretty bad, so you both laugh, but she relinquishes the music-making to you, lest you get fired. You truly have never felt so happy: doing something you love with the girl you love (and getting paid for it).

Your break comes up. You have half an hour to spend at your leisure with Jade, and you both head to the bar. Sollux waits there, looking sour as usual. He raises an eyebrow at Jade.

"You're ztill here?" he asks. Jade smiles sweetly. 

"Yup! And since it seems you're going to see more of me for some time at least, I should introduce myself." She sticks out her hand towards Sollux. "Jade Harley, pleasure."

Sollux stares at her for a moment, but doesn't bother being a dick. He shakes her hand feebly and mutters "Zollux Captor" at her.

"Its nice to meet you anyways," she smiles. "Dave, say hi."

You grumble at her. She nudges you with her elbow. You roll your eyes. 

"What's up, dickface?"

Sollux looks amused. "She'z got you whipped, bro."

"That's not what your--" But you can't deliver your incredibly Striderly ingenious comeback, because Jade's pulled you away and is dragging you into a back room.

"What gives?" you ask her, a bit irritated. "I thought you wanted a drink?"

She beams. "I've got a better idea. Which is the room you told me they let you borrow for your personal use?"

"The closet? Its over here." You gesture to a door. Jade smiles wickedly and shoves you inside. You don't have time to ask before she's entered it as well and closed the door behind her.

Its a tiny closet with barely any room. Your boss keeps it for employees' winter coats, but its not necessary in summer.

"Jade, what are you--" She doesn't let you finish. Her lips are on yours quickly.

You never, ever get tired of the way she tastes. She tastes like freaking sunshine and mints, and you can't get enough of it.

This kiss is a lot more intense than the others you've shared. Her lips are eager and quick. She catches you off guard by biting your lower lip, and a low moan escapes your lips. At this, she presses herself flush against you, and tangles her fingers in your hair.

You can't really step back and appreciate her talents because this is just turning your brain off and other parts of you  _on_.

Not ready to be outdone, your hands are at her waist, pressing her close to you, and she wiggles her hips a bit, and it goes straight to your crotch. You gasp.

She smiles into your lips. "How's that, Mr Strider?" She asks and you hear her out of breath and goddamn that's hot and you take over.

You slam her against the wall of the closet, and feel her flinch. You untangle your lips from hers and can hear the beginnings of a protest, but it quickly dies in her lips as your tongue find her neck.

You place a tentative kiss right at the point where her neck meets the collarbone. 

She gasps, and her back arches instinctively and her fists curl in your hair. The power and her smell and the heat are intoxicating you. You trail rough kisses up her neck and to her ear and hear yourself breathe heavily into her as you bite her ear with a little too much force, but instead of a complaint, you elicit the best moan she's given you so far. You're already feeling the confinement of your jeans, but everything is too perfect to change anything.

You trail kisses back to her mouth and she receives you eagerly. She grabs the collar of your shirt and twists you so that you're the one against the wall. You're about to mockingly complain, but the joke turns into a groan as she drags her teeth over your addam's apple. You feel her laugh into your throat.

"I didn't peg you for such a loud one," she says. You pull her up and turn her once again against the wall, pinning your knee between her legs. You rub your leg slowly against her crotch and she moans. You kiss her hard and say into her lips "neither I, you."

You're back to climbing down her neck, not leaving a centimetre of skin unkissed and unbruised. She's rubbing herself to your pinned leg, and its sending shivers down your spine. There's heat in your chest, and you realize she's undoing the buttons of your shirt, and if you could think, you would barely reminisce that time when she fixed your buttons in the kitchen of her house.

Your shirt is disposed of rather quickly. Its on the floor, and your hands are climbing up her legs, and her hands are trailing down your chest, with the light scratch of her nails that makes your belly retract as a reflex. She laughs, but it dies into a moan when you rock your hips into hers, still against the wall.

She seems to be fed up with your momentary position of power, so her nimble fingers are already down to your belt, and mother fucking swish, it is now becoming besties with the shirt on the floor.

Your hands are lightly treating the sides of her legs, dragging the fabric as they go. You reach her hips and have a good few inches of fabric in your hands, but you do not let it bother you. You hold the dress with one hand, and with the other you pick her up, using your leg, your hips and the wall as support. She is nothing if not helpful as she crosses her legs behind you. You don't even break contact with her lips as all of this happens.

But hello, now that you're holding her up, you are eye level with her unattended-- but never forgotten-- breasts.

You thank every entity out there that she chose to wear a strapless tonight, so she only has to pull the hem of her dress down a bit and you are faced with the majesty that is Jade Harley's chest.

They are, in fact, rather in the small side, but this makes you perfectly content because they fit in your hand --and more importantly, in your mouth.

If you thought earlier she was making noise, oh boy were you wrong.

There is not a moment in which her mouth is not producing the best sound possible. She squirms and wiggles wildly against you, and its all going down to your crotch. The jeans are starting to _really_ become a nuisance.

But you swear you have the most perfect girlfriend in the world because she uncrosses her legs and stands her ground and pulls you closer by the hem of your jeans and starts kissing you hard (you don't even have your shades on at this point, that's how good she is) while her hands are working the buttons of your jeans. Before long, they're around your ankles. Her hands glide over the tent in your boxers. 

"Am I  _that_ good?" she purrs teasingly against your lips. Its so perfect you cant even respond. Instead, you move the fabric of her dress out of the way and try to find the hem of her panties by her waist.

But you can't.

"What-?" you ask, but she smiles embarrassed. 

"I'm not a fan of the underwear for these dresses, so I just didn't wear any." You know that this is her being abashed, but its too freaking hot, so you drop to your knees in front of her, and hoist her leg over your shoulder and before she can even ask what you're doing, your tongue is so deep in her that her coherence is lost and she's becoming undone under your touch and its driving you wild. 

She knots and runs her fingers through your hair, and she balls them into fists when you do something she particularly likes, so you're learning step by step, and loving every minute.

Until she leaves your hair and puts her hands on your cheeks and raises you up to meet her face, and she kisses you with such passion that you can taste the mint and the summer and the  _Jade_ all jumbled up, and it sets fireworks in your stomach.

Her hand is over your boxer-covered dick, and she touches it gently, just the tip. You breathe in through your nose, trying to keep your head. Your eyes are closed, and you're trying really hard to concentrate and not blow out too soon.

She, of course, doesn't make it easier by pulling your dick out and caressing it gently.

"Christ Dave," she breathes into your ear, but she doesn't finish the thought. You don't let her.

Fed up with her dress, you unzip it and let it fall limp to the floor, pooled around her ankles, like your jeans. Once again, you hoist her up the wall and she crosses her legs behind your lower back and you thrust in without any preamble.

Its like you're floating in space and Dave is not home right now because Dave kind of achieved Nirvana but its not really you its more like a more  _you_ kind of you because she makes you more more more than you were because she's your other half and how could you doubt it? She's here and you're here and it feels like the pieces of the puzzle have fallen into place and everything is perfect and it can't get any better--

\--until she begins rocking her hips.

Then, its basically like the most intense Rock-n'-Roller-coaster you've ridden.

You set a pace, but then it alters, and you go faster and faster and so do your breaths and they get shorter and shorter, and its quick and fast and it increases and you hear in the background the crappy club music but your pace has nothing to do with it and it doesn't matter because she's moaning into your ear and its coming its coming its coming--

\--and its like reaching the high note in the perfect song.

You drag the feeling as much as you can, and judging by the way she clenches around you, so does she.

The moment passes, but you don't let go. You hold her firmly against you, still inside of her. Her head rests on your shoulder as she catches her breath as well.

You nuzzle into her neck and bury your face in her hair.

"mhhms" she mumbles, but you don't really understand it.

You want to tell her you love her, but it feels too soon.

For now, you spend a few minutes basking in afterglow, and soon replace your clothes. Jade does up the buttons of your shirt and looks at you with a twinkle in her eye and a small smile that looks too innocent to belong to the girl you just shagged.

Which is what you love about her, so you kiss her fully on the lips as she does the last button of your shirt and you head out.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there it is! the smut i might have promised!
> 
> i might do a tiny little bonus chapter, if anyone's interested. 
> 
> i hope you guys enjoyed the story! I know it could get cliche at times, but it was fun writing it. I don't think i've ever completed a multichapter story before!
> 
> anyways, thank you all for reading, and special thanks to those of you who left me comments, they made me so happy, you have no idea. if anyone eants to chat me or hang out or send me a prompt, my tumblr is the same as my username here because i entirely lack imagination.
> 
> i hope you enjoyed the story and that you were not dissappointed with my attempt at smut!


	6. Try To Get It Right This Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok y'all got the smut (even if it was shiitty)
> 
> now comes the bonus chapter
> 
> which is fluff.
> 
> pure.  
> unadulterated.   
> fluff.

You are finally out of work.

Tonight was a shitty night.

Everything was full, and the AC was kind of busted so it was hotter than Satan's hairy, sweaty ballsack in there. Getting to your place was hard as fuck because you had to rub against scantily clad female's whose make up was pretty much melting off into the long-sleeved shirt that right now feels like a fucking straightjacket.

Everything was sticky with things you don't even want to think about, ad the tips were poor as fuck. You were one loudspeaker short and the acoustics were fucking terrible, but everyone was drunk so they didn't pay much attention anyways.

The best part? Some drunk asshole had to take a cab home cause they were to drunk to drive, and that was responsible and all that, but the absolute fucking dickthroat left his piece of shit Toyota behind your car.

Which meant you can't take it out.

You're pretty sure that, at this moment, there is a god-like entity that's looking down at you from its sauce-stained couch into the 1950's like TV it uses to look at you, pointing expressly at this moment and chuckling to himself on an asshole move perfectly planned an executed, to then fall asleep with drool staining its presumed beard with disgusting mixes of mystifying aliments. 

But lo and behold, you have that one saving grace.

The only thing that's right now keeping you from losing your mind, because its the only piece of good luck you've had tonight, and its the fact that you have an excuse (not that you need it) to crash over at Jade's house, and that's actually enough to sort of lift your spirits.

You reach the Egbert-Harley apartment and unlock with your key, trying to be as silent as possible. You feel giddy at the memory of the night that changed your relationship with her, almost three months ago.

Down the hall, you make a right into her room. She's up to her ears in blankets and her glasses rest neatly folded in her bedside. Her hair is a mess on the pillow and her face is perfectly at peace and holy crap how did you ever manage someone so perfectly beautiful?

You turn to leave the room for the bathroom. There is a shift.

"Dave?" her half-sleeping voice is the cutest thing ever.

"Hey," you whisper, but don't get closer, "I'm just going for a shower and I'll be back, okay?"

"No," but its not really a 'No.' Its more childish and adorable. She throws the blanket half over her to open space for you. You see the outline of half her body, and she's naked, as always, which is hot as fuck, but right now is  _not_  the moment for that. Maybe if John wasn't in the other room. "Come to bed." She commands.

"Jade, I'm disgusting."

"Yes, but that's not new." She jokes. "Come to _beeed_." 

"I've been sweated all over the place and probably have upon me more DNA than your Gen En lab."

She scrunches up her nose. "Ew." She sits up and holds both her arms out. "Come on."

Its useless to argue, and the offer is too perfect. You shed your shirt and your belt and climb into bed with her. She kisses you sweetly and cuddles against your chest. You wrap your left arm over her shoulder and your right arm under her head for her support. You're barely settled and she's already fallen back asleep. You remove your shades and kiss her in the forehead before settling comfortably in the pillow.

 

* * *

 

There's a shift in your chest and an ungodly amount of light flooding your eyelids. You groan and bury your head under a pillow.

The pillow is removed by an external force and there's a soft feeling in your nose.

You open your eyes ad for a moment all you can see is green and black.

Then the most beautiful smile ever.

"Good morning," she says lazily and nuzzles your neck. You bury your nose in her hair.

"G'morning," you say. She pulls back a bit and resumes eye contact. She looks innocent and calm and so goddamn  _perfect._ There's a little curiosity in her face.

"I think this is the first time I've seen you in the light of day without your shades."

Ah, so that's why it feels like fucking Jesus is flashing you.

You rub your eyes and try to blink away the light.

"Yeah, well enjoy the show,"You mutter, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. There  _is_ something strange about someone seeing you without your shades in broad daylight.

"I am," she replies, and her voice is raw with sincerity. Wow, you know this is a really dumb thing, but even this small piece of intimacy raises your heartbeat. You stare at her intently, trying to remember every crease of her face. She laughs. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

You feel the change in her pulse in your fingers, which rest at the beginning of the hairline in her temple.

"Is that your heart fluttering?" you can't stop the smile from escaping with your voice. She shoves you playfully.

"No its not, shut up." but she's smiling.

You hear the smile in her voice, and it unlocks something in you. The words are out before you can stop them.

"I love you." When the words leave your lips its like lead you didn't know you were carrying is gone, and suddenly everything inside you feels lighter.

Her smile is still there, but less intense. You feel the skip of her heart's beat.

"I love you too." She whispers, and everything inside you has now become a bright light.

You lean down and kiss her full in the lips and hold her for what feels like forever. You pull away.

"Dave," she says. You close your eyes, loving the way she says your name. "Your breath stinks."

And you smile so lazily

Because its funny. Because its sunday morning. Because you're in bed with the girl you love the most in this world. Because you could see the rest of your life waking up like this. Because every fight, and every moment, and every single step you take will be okay, because right now, at this moment, everything is just perfect.

"Uhm, guys?"

And because Egbert is standing at the door, and you're half naked in bed with his sister, and his face is priceless.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Mostly I write when i'm bored, so if someone has a prompt they'd like me to write, send it my way and i'll do what i can (assuming you like what i do hehe)
> 
> also, i do not confirm nor deny the possibility of some shitty smutt later :0


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